State Sen. Phil Boyle, R-Bay Shore, has introduced legislation making it a felony to sell, purchase, trade, barter, distribute or possess any part of a giraffe in New York state, following reports that giraffe body parts are being sold all across the United States while their population dwindles in Africa.

The Humane Society of the United States has released results of their undercover investigation which found 52 locations in the U.S. where giraffe trophy parts are being sold. Products such as boots from giraffe leather, specialty knives, hide pillows, rugs, giraffe bones and skulls are being sold across the U.S. indicating that this country is providing a significant market for trade in giraffe parts.

“The poaching of giraffes and sale of their parts must stop,” Boyle said. “I am shocked and appalled that there is a market in the U.S. for the body parts of these beautiful, gentle creatures, and want to end it now here in New York.”

There is already a deep decline in the giraffe population caused by the encroachment of their habitat in Africa. Illegal trophy hunting of giraffes is fueled by markets for giraffe parts in the U.S. and is contributing to the decline of the giraffe population.